/*
 * TazioMessage.java    0.0.2    16/nov/2009
 * 
 * Copyright (c) 2009 mentalsmash.org
 * 
 * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 * You may obtain a copy of the License at
 *
 * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
 *
 * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 * limitations under the License.
 *
 * The use of the Apache License does not indicate that this project is
 * affiliated with the Apache Software Foundation.
 */ 
package org.mentalsmash.tazio.transparency.commons.messages;

import java.io.Serializable;

/**
 * TazioMessage is an interface used to grant that all the messages transmitted during 
 * the execution of the Tazio Service can be accessed in the same way.
 * 
 * @version 0.0.2	16/nov/2009
 * @author Enrico Savioli <savioli.enrico@gmail.com>
 * @author Andrea Sorbini <as@mentalsmash.org>
 *
 */

public interface TazioMessage extends Serializable{

	/**
	 * This method will return the {@link TazioMessageID} which uniquely identifies the 
	 * current message throughout the whole system.
	 * 
	 * @return	the {@link TazioMessageID} that uniquely identifies the message.
	 */
  	TazioMessageID getMsgID();
  	
  	/**
  	 * This is a method that will return the encapsulated {@link Serializable}
  	 * object which is the real information that the node wished to transmit to the remote 
  	 * recipient of the message. Creating this encapsulation it is possible for a message 
  	 * to be sent and managed independently from its type until its dispatching to the 
  	 * interested listeners.
  	 * 
  	 * @return	the {@link Serializable} object contained in the {@link TazioMessage}.
  	 */
	Serializable getPayload();
    
}

